Acute Specialist Clinics (Outpatients)

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As the COVID 19 pandemic continues to evolve, some Acute Specialist Clinics activity at Eastern Health has been reduced to ensure we can support the needs of the community and respond to COVID-19.

This means our capacity has been reduced and wait times to offer Acute Specialist Clinics appointments will be longer than potentially expected.

Where possible, care will be continuing to be delivered via telehealth (video) or phone.

Latest information regarding Patients and Visitors during the Pandemic.

From 1 December 2021, Eastern Health Specialist Clinics will only accept eReferrals (HealthLink Smartforms). Referrals sent by fax, email or post are not accepted.

Eastern Health Acute Specialist Clinics requires referrals via eReferral (HealthLink Smartforms) for practices with conformant software (Best Practice, Genie, Medical Director and MedTech Evolution).

Where referrers do not have conformant software. (eg- Zmed, and Helix), referrals can be made via the HealthLink Portal. Referrals will not be accepted via fax or email.

Practices without conformant software can register for a ‘free’ HealthLink Portal licence by completing the online registration form and notate in the Comments/Message field that you would like to use the SmartForms and select the two checkboxes - Receive Electronic Correspondence (Free of charge) and Send Electronic Smart Forms (My Aged Care, Transport for NSW, Monash Health etc).

Once HealthLink receives your completed registration application this will be processed, and portal details will be forwarded to you.

eReferral Support Contact Information

If you would like assistance in enabling this technology for your practice please contact the Eastern Melbourne Primary Healthcare Network (digitalhealth@emphn.org.auor if urgent 9046 0300).
For enquiries directly relating to the HealthLink SmartForms or to have this solution enabled within your clinical software system, please contact HealthLink on 1800 125 036 or HelpdeskHL@healthlink.net.
For enquiries about ‘How to Refer’ to Acute Specialist Clinics, please contact Specialist Clinics eReferral Management Team on ereferralmanagement@easternhealth.org.au

Note: The above email inbox is not monitored for submitted referral enquiries or appointment enquiries. Please contact Specialist Clinics Administration and Booking Team via 1300 342 255.

FAQ and more info:

E-referrals to Acute Specialist Clinics (Eastern Health) (DOC, 324KB)

E-referrals to Acute Specialist Clinics (Eastern Health) (PDF, 657KB)

If your question is still not answered, please contact Specialist Clinics Administration and Booking Team via 1300 342 255 or Eastern Health's GP Medical Liaison Officer.

Making a referral

Eastern Health Specialist Clinics has now switched to HealthLink SmartForms for receiving referrals from GPs. HealthLink is a secure, safe electronic channel for delivery of identifiable clinical information between healthcare providers. To access a guide, please view the following links:

Medical Director
- Quick Start Guide – Medical Director (PDF, 1.22MB)
- Tutorial Video- Medical Director
Best Practice
- Quick Start Guide – Best Practice (PDF 1.28MB)
- Tutorial Video-Best Practice
Genie
- Quick Start Guide – Genie (PDF, 1.1MB)
- Tutorial Video- Genie
MedTech Evolution
- Integration Guide-MedTech Evolution (PDF, 585KB)
Portal
- Quick Start Guide- Portal (PDF,764 KB)
- Tutorial Video-Portal

Statewide Referral Criteria and HealthPathways Melbourne

The statewide referral criteria provide guidance to referring clinicians about which patients will be seen in adult public specialist clinics and what investigations are required to support triage.

If a referral does not contain the minimum required content it will be declined with written notification to the referring health professional.

An incomplete referral missing essential information must be resubmitted in full. Patients will not receive an appointment or be placed on an appropriate waitlist until a complete specialist clinic referral has been received.

The new statewide referral criteria are available across all Victorian HealthPathways websites. If you require login access to HealthPathways, contact info@healthpathwaysmelbourne.org.au. Alternatively, the statewide referral criteria can be viewed on the official DHHS website.

Referral process

Eastern Health receives and manage referrals in line with the Department of Health, Specialist clinics in Victorian public hospitals: Access policy 2013. Access here for more information.

Step 1 - Screening

Referrals for all sites are received by the central Specialist Clinics Referrals and Bookings Management Team
If you sent an eReferral, you will receive an immediate confirmation in your clinical software that it has been received

Step 2 – Triage and Clinical Prioritisation

Referral information is screened against state referral criteria and local health service acceptance criteria
Patients requiring an urgent consultation will be seen within 30 calendar days
Patients requiring a routine consultation will be seen at the next available non-urgent appointment or placed on a waiting list

Step 3 – Appointment/ Waitlist Notification

Patients will receive either a text or letter notification of their appointment details, or if they have been placed on a waiting list.
You will be notified if your referral has been accepted or declined by fax

*Note: Eastern Health reserves the right, at the discretion of the triaging clinician, to request referral redirection to a closer service if there are other health services who can provide timelier, geographically closer or more appropriate services for the patient.

Referral Concerns

For Private Specialists/External Hospital Organisations